Tomorrow morning, I'll be going to Edinburgh to volunteer for the WWW2006 conference.. So I won't be in Southampton until next Saturday..
And I'm dead scared.
For one whole week, I'll be going to a completely foreign city, doing God knows what, while living with a bunch of people I barely know.
Oh joy.
I'm going there with A, a PhD student from ECS and luckily she's a Muslim from Algeria and we'll be sharing a room once we get there, so that's not too bad.. But what I'm worried about is how I'm going to cope there.. Apart from my tutor, there's absolutely nobody I know there.. OK, so maybe I know a few people's names but that's as far as it goes..
What scares me is the fact that these people are either WWW bigshots, university lecturers or postgrad students working on some fancy research stuff and there I am - a first year - looking a lot like a fish out of water.. Do you know the feeling when people around you start to talk in some foreign language when you're in a foreign country? That's how I feel when they start talking about their work amongst each other :P
A few days ago, I found out that another postgrad from my uni had also applied to become a volunteer but didn't make it.. It made me wonder why they turned down a PhD student and chose - of all people - me.. What would I possibly know that a PhD student wouldn't? I don't even have a clue what volunteers do! The other day, I told E about it and his reply was this..
"God wanted to give this to you."
OK, point taken.
I know I shouldn't really complain.. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and there's no way I'm backing out.. But now, with less than 24 hours to go, for me anxiety is an understatement..
Here's what I plan to do for the week in Edinburgh:
1) Try to understand the geek speak that goes round, because I'm a Computer Science student and I'm expected to become a geek too.
2) In a room full of people, try to avoid hiding in a secluded corner or leaning against a wall unless it's absolutely necessary.
3) Learn as much as possible. Enough said.
4) Socialize! Don't become a hermit. I'm not spending money just to become a recluse.
5) Last but not least, revise for my exams!
Oh wait, points 4 and 5 aren't supposed to go together.. LOL :P
Wish me luck, guys. I'll need all the luck I can get.
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NHA at 7:01 PM ::
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